Blog - Los Angeles Walkshttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/blog
Adding Our Voices<p dir="ltr"><em>"Grandma Beverly" Shelton, co-founder of SoCal Families for Safe Streets, submitted the following letter to </em>LA Weekly<em> in response to a recent article on Vision Zero in Los Angeles.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>To the Editor of </span><em>LA Weekly</em><span>,</span></p>
<p dir="ltr">When my grandson <strong><a href="http://zacharyscorner.com/" target="_blank">Zachary Cruz</a></strong><span> was five years old, a man driving a welding truck struck Zach as he crossed the street with a school employee and three other children in Berkeley, CA. Zachary died there on the street. As a resident of Ventura, <strong>I represent one of the thousands of people traumatically impacted by severe traffic collisions every year in and around Los Angeles, and am a co-founder of the recently formed </strong></span><strong><a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/socal_families_for_safe_streets" target="_blank">Southern California Families for Safe Streets</a></strong><span><strong>.</strong> Members of the group are all mourning the abrupt and senseless loss of a family member killed in a traffic collision or are adapting to life with our own serious traffic-related injury.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Hillel Aron’s recent piece, </span><strong><a href="http://www.laweekly.com/news/vision-zero-las-plan-to-eliminate-all-traffic-fatalities-by-2025-is-having-a-hard-time-8812716" target="_blank">Is L.A.’s Ambitious Plan to End Traffic Fatalities Already Dead?</a> </strong><span>(November 2, 2017), completely omitted our voices. This is common. Despite the fact that we and our loved ones bear the greatest burden, recent media coverage of traffic safety efforts in Los Angeles focus almost entirely on projects’ impacts on car commuters, effects on local businesses, and the pressure elected officials face. Too often, this is how people gauge whether a safety project “works” or “doesn’t work” as Mayor Garcetti implies in Aron’s piece. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span><strong>SoCal Families for Safe Streets exists to remind people why the City initiates safety projects in the first place: to prevent deaths -- deaths that destroy families, lead people into deep depression, stress marriages, strain resources, and shatter communities. </strong></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>It is time for Mayor Garcetti, Los Angeles City Council members, and all regional leaders to stand firm, like former NYC Mayor Bloomberg did in the example provided in Aron’s piece. <strong>We call on policymakers to unapologetically support evidence-based strategies that reduce severe collisions and save lives. </strong></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span><strong>Vision Zero is not dead.</strong> My grandson is dead. Aidan Tam, 7 years old, is dead. Jonathan Hernandez, 14 years old, is dead. Valentina d’Alessandro, 16 years old, is dead. And so are more than 500 people in Los Angeles since the City launched Vision Zero in August 2015. <strong>With courage and conviction, our elected officials can take meaningful steps to stop this. We urge them to do so.</strong></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Southern California Families for Safe Streets welcomes you join us in the fight for safe streets that prevent death and protect families. For more information, visit: </span><strong><a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/socal_families_for_safe_streets">http://www.losangeleswalks.org/socal_families_for_safe_streets</a></strong><span>.</span></p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Beverly “Grandma Beverly” Shelton</p>
<p>Co-founder, <strong><a href="http://zmcfoundation.org/" target="_blank">A to Z Families for Safe Streets</a></strong></p>
<p>Co-founder, Southern California Families for Safe Streets</p>Fri, 10 Nov 2017 15:45:00 -0800Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/adding_our_voices
Unintentional Impacts<p dir="ltr"><strong>Written by Maryann Gray</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>On a beautiful spring day in 1977, when I was a 22 year-old student living in rural Ohio, I hit and killed an 8 year old boy named Brian who ran into the street in front of my car.</strong> Back then, his family’s mailbox was across the street from their house, which made for more efficient mail delivery. The “street,” however was a heavily trafficked rural highway, U.S. Route 27. Brian had forgotten to watch for traffic after picking up the family’s mail.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Although this collision was not my fault in any legal sense, the fact is that I am the one who killed him. For decades, I felt undeserving of happiness, compassion, or love. <strong>Not a single day has gone by when I have not thought about Brian.</strong> He was with me on the day I defended my doctoral dissertation, on my wedding day, and on the day my father died. He is with me as I write this.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1192/attachments/original/1509680897/Maryann_Gray_2.png?1509680897" alt="Maryann_Gray_2.png" /></em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Maryann Gray is the founder of <a href="http://accidentalimpacts.org/" target="_blank">http://accidentalimpacts.org/</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Twenty-five years after the crash, I finally decided to deal with my guilt, shame, fear, and grief, along with lingering symptoms of PTSD.</strong><span> I started therapy and began a deep exploration of the collision and its aftermath. Among many other steps, I read the accident report and newspaper articles for the first time, and I flew out to Ohio from my home in Los Angeles to quietly visit the crash scene. </span></p>
<p>In preparation for my visit to Ohio, I googled Brian’s address, intending to look at the site via Google maps. What popped up in the search results, however, was an article that listed U.S. Route 27 in Butler County, Ohio as one of the most dangerous highways in America. <strong>This 14-mile stretch of road even had a nickname – the Highway to Heaven.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>I was startled. I had spent countless hours ruminating about my own responsibility for Brian’s death, but I had never questioned the external conditions that contributed to this collision. It turned out that Brian was one of many victims on Route 27. </span><strong>Between 1960 and 1986, 87 people were killed on that 14 mile stretch – 3 or 4 people killed per year, every year, for more than a quarter of a century.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In the late 1980s, the residents of Butler County and their elected officials organized and advocated for improvements to the road. Only then did the State come through with funding. In the years that followed, workers widened narrow stretches of the road, smoothed out steep curves, added shoulders, and improved the signage. The speed limit was reduced. I don’t know exactly when, but sometime after Brian’s death the mailboxes were moved so that they sat in front of the houses rather than across the street. Today, the collision rate on Route 27 has dropped considerably, although it remains a dangerous road.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Pedestrian deaths are not only the result of bad drivers and bad luck, although both play a part. They also result from the choices we make as a society about how much to invest in road safety. </strong>Individual responsibility is essential to stopping the carnage on the roads. So is advocacy, policy, urban planning and design, engineering, and education.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>I am pleased to honor Brian’s memory by supporting Los Angeles Walks, the LA Vision Zero Alliance, and Southern California Families for Safe Streets this World Day of Remembrance.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Maryann Gray lives in Santa Monica and is the founder of <strong><a href="http://accidentalimpacts.org/" target="_blank">http://accidentalimpacts.org/</a></strong>. </em><em>Read an in-depth </em>New Yorker<em> magazine article profiling Maryann <strong><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/09/18/the-sorrow-and-the-shame-of-the-accidental-killer" target="_blank">here</a></strong>.</em> </p>Thu, 02 Nov 2017 21:10:00 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/unintentional_impacts
We Want Wall-to-Wall Complete Streets<p>At the upcoming Tuesday, October 10th Personnel and Animal Welfare Committee meeting, LA City Council members will consider a spending plan for integrated road reconstruction and Vision Zero safety projects that span three City departments. A collaboration between the LA Department of Transportation (LADOT), Bureau of Engineering (BOE), and Bureau of Street Services (BSS), the spending plan is an effort to increase the departments’ efficiency and impact, and encourages a more holistic approach to public works projects that are developed with a health equity lens.</p>
<p><strong>We love it! But, we want more. </strong></p>
<p><strong>We want to see departments work together on complete streets projects that don’t just go curb-to-curb, but wall-to-wall. We want to see smooth, safe streets AND sidewalk repair, curb ramps, street trees, and bus shelters.</strong> </p>
<p>Have you ever stood at a bus stop with people gathered in the shade of one skinny utility pole because there is no bus shelter or trees to provide relief? Los Angeles can avoid that by leveraging our transportation dollars to improve the entire public realm from wall-to-wall in the creation of true complete streets. When we do that, we are making investments that prioritize safety and, importantly, show an immediate return on the quality of life for our communities.</p>
<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5_B8GhDdf1oUgjqOXSQj0etB1JXNUi2Kv824pP3Vn_jDhkw/viewform?usp=sf_link" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>&gt;&gt; Join Los Angeles Walks and Investing in Place at the October 10 meeting.</strong></span></a></p>
<p><strong>BACKGROUND</strong></p>
<p>During the 2018 budget negotiations in the City of Los Angeles this past May, policymakers settled on an important compromise - one that most of us would consider common sense, but that a City staffer might call magical.</p>
<p>Before the compromise, Council members were in disagreement: with limited funds available, some elected officials wanted to prioritize spending on critical roadway repairs, fixing potholes and reconstructing “failing” streets. Others wanted to direct funds to Vision Zero projects - those that redesign the highest need streets for safety in order to address the public health emergency of traffic fatalities in LA.</p>
<p><strong>After dramatic deliberations, Councilmembers decided that the City can accomplish both goals by having departments work together, and that funding should go towards projects that incorporate <em>both roadway reconstruction and redesigns for safety</em>.</strong> </p>
<p>To be fair, Los Angeles Walks initially balked at the notion of diverting funds to roadway repairs at a time when fatal and severe pedestrian collisions continue to rise. But, we have come to see the value in this compromise and the importance of cross-departmental collaboration, one of the pillars of the Vision Zero framework. We also see that as an opportunity for the City to execute an efficient use of public funds.</p>
<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5_B8GhDdf1oUgjqOXSQj0etB1JXNUi2Kv824pP3Vn_jDhkw/viewform?usp=sf_link" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>&gt;&gt; Join us at City Council on October 10.</strong></span></a></p>
<p>We would like to have the City Council include wall-to-wall complete streets alongside all other potential plans for the City’s integrated road repair/Vison Zero project list, including access and sidewalk repair, street trees, and bus shelters. </p>
<p><strong>MORE ABOUT THE PLAN</strong> </p>
<p>Since the City Council passed the FY18 budget this past spring, LADOT, BOE, and BSS have worked together to develop a Vision Zero 2017-18 workplan that includes both street reconstruction and Vision Zero components. At the September 20th Public Works and Gang Reduction Committee meeting, leaders of each department together presented the names of 11 corridors that light up on all of their individual lists: those “D” and “F” streets in need of reconstruction that are also on the City’s Vision Zero High Injury Network. </p>
<p>As outlined in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2017/17-0950_rpt_CAO_08-22-2017.pdf" target="_blank">a report by the City Attorney’s Office</a></strong></span>, the initial source of funding proposed for these projects is the Measure M Local Return Fund, which includes $12.84 million for street reconstruction and $6.62 million for Vision Zero (total: $19.46 million). The use of funds from the remaining Measure M Local Return Fund ($650,00) and SB1 Special Gas Tax Improvement Fund ($24.06 million), which includes $11.95 million for street reconstruction and $12.76million for Vision Zero, will be proposed in subsequent reports, and will cover salaries and other resources necessary for 2017-18 work during the construction phase of these projects.</p>
<p><strong>NEXT STEPS</strong></p>
<p>In a city where everybody walks, bikes, rides the bus or drives a vehicle, our transportation investments don't have to be separated into silos like "bus," "walk," or "vehicle speed." <strong>By expanding departmental coordination and improving all aspects of the street from wall-to-wall, we can increase safety directly, through Vision Zero safety projects, and indirectly, through higher quality and more dignified infrastructure for people walking, biking, and taking transit.</strong> By encouraging more people to walk, bike, and take transit - and making it convenient and pleasant, we will increase safety for all.</p>
<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5_B8GhDdf1oUgjqOXSQj0etB1JXNUi2Kv824pP3Vn_jDhkw/viewform?usp=sf_link" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>&gt;&gt; Join Los Angeles Walks and Investing in Place at the October 10 Personnel and Animal Welfare Committee meeting.</strong></span></a> </p>
<p><strong>Join us at the Tripping Point advocacy training summit!</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://valleytrippingpoint.splashthat.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">&gt;&gt; Boost your advocacy skills for sidewalks, crosswalks, street trees, and bus shelters at The Tripping Point: Valley Edition, a FREE one-day advocacy training summit on October 21st at Panorama City High School. Food, childcare, and Spanish-English translation available! </span></strong></a></p>
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<div class="gmail_default"><em>This post has been made possible by the grant-funded Focus Cities California program, a joint project of UC Berkeley SafeTREC and California Walks that supports increased safety in walking and biking.</em></div>
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<div class="gmail_default"><em>Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.</em></div>
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<div class="gmail_default"><em><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1189/attachments/original/1507234877/Cal_Walks-SafeTREC-OTS_combined_logos.png?1507234877" alt="Cal_Walks-SafeTREC-OTS_combined_logos.png" /></em></div>
</div>Thu, 05 Oct 2017 13:25:50 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/wall_to_wall_complete_streets
Back at the Tripping Point: Building a Visible Constituency for Complete, Safe Streets<p><strong>It’s been almost four months since Los Angeles Walks joined Investing in Place and other partners to host the Tripping Point</strong>, which, as far as we know, was LA’s first advocacy training summit focused on complete street issues, like sidewalks, bus stops, crosswalks, and street trees.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://valleytrippingpoint.splashthat.com/" target="_blank"><strong>On Saturday, October 21st, we’re at it again! RSVP NOW for the free Tripping Point 2: The Valley!</strong></a></span></p>
<p><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1184/attachments/original/1507057983/BarbaraR_addressing_audience_2.png?1507057983" alt="BarbaraR_addressing_audience_2.png" /></p>
<p>Since the first Tripping Point, safe and complete street issues have gained <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.latimes.com/opinion/livable-city/la-ed-gas-tax-road-diets-20170918-story.html" target="_blank">significant attention</a></strong></span> as Los Angeles embraces the challenge to create safer neighborhoods by reorganizing streets and public spaces.</p>
<p><strong>Based on the turnout at the first Tripping Point, we know that the demand for healthy, active communities is out there. And based on our experiences over the past four months, we know how critical it is to voice and make visible the demand for updated streets and sidewalks that serve everyone’s needs</strong>.</p>
<p>So, led by Investing in Place, LA Walks is co-hosting <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://valleytrippingpoint.splashthat.com/" target="_blank">the Tripping Point 2: The Valley edition</a></strong></span> along with AARP, the American Heart Association, the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, Koreatown Youth &amp; Community Center, LURN, Outfront/JCDecaux, and Southern California Resources Services for Independent Living.</p>
<p><strong>WHY ATTEND?</strong></p>
<p>To set the stage, we’re providing a recap here of the first Tripping Point, held on June 10th, when over 150 people from all across the city came together at El Puente Learning Center in Boyle Heights for workshops and skill-building sessions.</p>
<p><strong>Our goals for the first Tripping Point were the same as they are for the upcoming <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://valleytrippingpoint.splashthat.com/" target="_blank">Tripping Point 2</a></span>:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Participants will better understand City initiatives, programs, and plans.</li>
<li>Attendees will boost their skills in advocating for safer streets and healthier communities. </li>
</ul>
<p>For the Tripping Point 2, on October 21<sup>st</sup>, we’re also adding that participants will connect with one another to leave with a local network of fellow activists and allies.</p>
<p><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1184/attachments/original/1507058071/Cleo_Ray_at_TP1.jpg?1507058071" alt="Cleo_Ray_at_TP1.jpg" /></p>
<p>Speakers on June 10th included two extraordinary community members, Cleo Ray (above) and Vanessa May, as well as Deputy Mayor Barbara Romero (top image), City Councilmember Nury Martinez, and Los Angeles Department of Transportation General Manager Seleta Reynolds. It was an all-star line-up of women working to make our communities better! </p>
<p><strong>Throughout the day, experts from community-based organizations and advocacy groups offered a slew of sessions, all offered in Spanish and English.</strong> Topics ranged from how to request a bus stop shelter to how to communicate effectively with elected officials. Attendees learned about stormwater capture, the urban tree canopy, and more.</p>
<p><strong>Los Angeles Walks offered two sessions, both centered on connecting individuals with one another in order to build community power.</strong> First, during “Hands-On Walk Audit,” we taught participants how to conduct a walk audit and we shared a basic tool for coordinating a walk audit in their own neighborhoods. A walk audit can be a very detailed exercise that focuses on intense data collection. But, it can also be an opportunity to build relationships, share an experience, and establish common interests among community members -- all steps toward building community power to create local change.</p>
<p>For the second session, America Aceves of Proyecto Pastoral led a training in community organizing called “Organizing for Change: The Power of Relationships.” America dove straight into what power is and who has it, how to create change through individual and institutional transformation, and what exactly organizing entails: community listening, research, action, and evaluation. We explored leadership and how to identify and develop leaders; learned how to conduct a “one-on-one,” the foundation of relationship-building in community organizing; and we each practiced telling our personal story, a useful skill for connecting with neighbors and decision-makers. </p>
<p><strong><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1184/attachments/original/1507057088/All_TP1_attendees.jpg?1507057088" alt="All_TP1_attendees.jpg" /></strong></p>
<p><strong>WHY BUILD PEOPLE POWER?</strong></p>
<p>As an advocacy organization working to make Los Angeles a safe, equitable place to walk, Los Angeles Walks is, of course, focused on public policy, like the City’s sidewalk repair program, Safe Sidewalks LA, as well as Vision Zero and Mobility Plan 2035. But, <strong>increasingly, LA Walks is focusing on developing relationships and building people power</strong>. Recent events in Westside neighborhoods confirm that this is the way to go: only one week after the Tripping Point was held, vocal opposition erupted in response to the Mar Vista Great Streets Initiative project on Venice Blvd., the Safe Streets Playa del Rey road redesigns, and the Vista del Mar reconfiguration. The situation required intense mobilization and organizing of safe street supporters in the area.</p>
<p>In the months after, LA Walks joined the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition in making visible the constituency for safe streets in Council District 11: we identified supportive stakeholders and community members, trained residents in how to provide public comment at a community meeting, encouraged constituents to email their elected officials in support of Vision Zero and roadway redesigns that control speed, and organized 60 people to attend and speak at the Mar Vista Community Council meeting.</p>
<p>The immediate outcome was positive: the Mar Vista Community Council voted to keep the Venice Blvd. project in place in order to allow the City time to conduct a thorough evaluation. But, opposition to street changes remain, which has led to the reversal of safety projects already in place and the threat to block projects currently in the works.</p>
<p><strong>Now is the time to build our skills and our power as community members who know that another world is possible:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>one in which traffic collisions are not the leading cause of death of children in Los Angeles County;</li>
<li>a city in which seniors in our neighborhoods feel comfortable traveling to the corner store, connecting with their friends along the way and strengthening their social support networks;</li>
<li>a city in which the preservation of human life takes priority over the swift movement of cars. </li>
</ul>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://valleytrippingpoint.splashthat.com/" target="_blank">RSVP today for the Tripping Point 2: The Valley edition</a></span> on Saturday, October 21 from 9:30am to 2pm.</strong> Boost your advocacy skills, meet like-minded people, and leave inspired to create a safer, healthier city. See you there! </p>
<p><strong>Find info on the Tripping Point 1 below:</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://trippingpoint2017.splashthat.com/" target="_blank">Tripping Point 1 agenda</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B_qaSpGGQjjdWlhiczBWM3E3YUU?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Tripping Point 1 presentations</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/investinginplace/photos/?tab=album&amp;album_id=1601284676549626" target="_blank">Tripping Point 1 photos</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>Funding for LA Walks' breakout sessions at the June 10, 2017 Tripping Point was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</em>.</strong></p>
<p><strong><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1184/attachments/original/1507056706/Cal_Walks-SafeTREC-OTS_combined_logos.png?1507056706" alt="Cal_Walks-SafeTREC-OTS_combined_logos.png" /></strong></p>Tue, 03 Oct 2017 12:33:00 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/tripping_point_the_valley
Which Way LA Walks<p dir="ltr"><em>The State of Walking in Los Angeles and Exciting Announcements from Founder Deborah Murphy</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">Like no other time in my life, we are all under pressure to fight for what matters to us, whether that’s rights and respect for indigenous people and immigrants, the dismantling of racism and dominant white culture, or equal pay for people with disabilities and for all women. Maybe it’s the environment, education, restorative justice, and simply the right to be who we are and love who we love. These are by no means new fights, but today there is an elevated sense of urgency, and there is so much to fight for. <strong>At Los Angeles Walks, we remain dedicated to the fight for safe and equitable walking, which we see as intimately linked to so many social justice concerns and basic rights</strong>, like the right to health and safe movement, access to opportunities, affordable housing, harassment-free public space, and basic dignity for all.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Where we have come from</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Since starting Los Angeles Walks, my personal and professional fight has been for a safer, more accessible, more pleasant city that supports walking - the most fundamental form of mobility. In 1998, I was dodging drivers who wanted to run me over on Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles on my way to the Commuter Express Bus to work in Downtown LA. <strong>Nearly 20 years ago, I knew that all of us walking deserved better, and I decided to take my fight to city hall.</strong> I gathered up a bunch of committed makers and doers, urban designers and planners, architects, elected officials, advocates, transportation geeks, and transit nerds. We were fed up with disrespectful drivers, bad street design, and unsafe and unattractive walking conditions. Together we started the first pedestrian advocacy organization in Los Angeles.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1183/attachments/original/1505349293/DM_AW_Ciclavia_2013.jpg?1505349293" alt="DM_AW_Ciclavia_2013.jpg" /><em>Walking CicLAvia with many of the original Los Angeles Walks board members in 2013</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>At the time, people thought of us as a curious special interest group with a narrow focus and little relevance to the majority of people in car-centric Los Angeles.</strong> City officials (who once literally pat me on the head and said, “we love pedestrians too”) widened roadways, narrowed sidewalks, eliminated crosswalks, removed street trees, lit up streets but not sidewalks, removed bus stops, increased speed limits, and ticketed pedestrians for crossing the street too slowly. What little walking infrastructure that did exist, the City destroyed in order to make room for more and more vehicles, at the expense of people and neighborhoods across LA.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>We have come a long way since those days.</strong> Largely thanks to the actions and advocacy of Los Angeles Walks’ founding board members, the City of Los Angeles hired its first Pedestrian Coordinator in 2011. Soon after, the City launched the People Street program and Great Streets Initiative, adopted Mobility Plan 2035, and passed a Vision Zero policy. Los Angeles hired a bold, bright new General Manager, Seleta Reynolds, to head up the Department of Transportation. In March 2017, more than 70% of Los Angeles County voters supported Measure M, the sales tax increase that will fund a massive transit expansion.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>We must continue the fight</strong></p>
<p><strong>Despite, or maybe because of, this progress, this is a challenging time for walking advocacy in Los Angeles.</strong> Within the past few years, City leaders have committed to improve mobility options and transportation safety; to support disadvantaged communities, aging in place, healthy communities, and environmental justice; and to increase funding for active transportation, open streets events, and transit. With this support, though, comes a stronger backlash than I have ever seen, and stronger reinforcement of the status quo. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Walkable communities and pedestrian safety, including Vision Zero, are now discussed in mainstream media, not just among us walking advocates and within professional publications. We have more data than ever to document where people are walking, where they are being hit and injured or killed, where people want to walk, and what kinds of techniques and treatments will make walking safer. But we also have more people expressing skepticism about that data and even questioning the prioritization of safe streets over smooth traffic flow. Drivers in some communities claim that there is a “war on cars” and that making space for people to walk and bike more safely goes against Los Angeles’s car culture and auto dependency.</p>
<p>Like so many moments before it, this is a time of transition in LA. <strong>For too long, people and neighborhoods have paid the price for bad, out of balance design.</strong> We have made too much progress in recent years to turn back now. As an organization, Los Angeles Walks needs to be up to the current challenge, fully committed to not only fight the status quo, but build up new support for a shared vision of healthier, safer communities that support human life.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Where we are going</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>We are proud to announce that we are appointing our current Policy and Program Manager Emilia Crotty as full-time Executive Director, and will soon hire a new <a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/jobs" target="_blank">Advocacy and Engagement Manager</a></strong>. This new staff person will assume leadership of the LA Vision Zero Alliance, a citywide coalition convened by Los Angeles Walks. As founder, I will take on the role of Chief Strategist for the organization.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1183/attachments/original/1505348770/DM_and_EC_March_4th_2017_640.png?1505348770" alt="DM_and_EC_March_4th_2017_640.png" /> <em>Emilia Crotty (right) is appointed as Executive Director of Los Angeles Walks</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">Emilia has been a relentless champion for Vision Zero in Los Angeles, establishing and sustaining the LA Vision Zero Alliance for the past two years. Since joining Los Angeles Walks, Emilia has taken on a wide range of additional projects and priorities, which she will continue to champion as ED. These include:</p>
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<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr">Initiating a Safe Routes for Seniors program in partnership with staff and residents at Union Tower, a senior residence in the Westlake/MacArthur Park neighborhood;</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr">Organizing families of victims of traffic collisions to develop a Families for Safe Streets group modeled after successful programs in New York and San Francisco;</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr">Partnering on the development and leadership of The Tripping Point, a one-day advocacy training summit that offers civic literacy and capacity building sessions to help develop a skilled, organized constituency for safe streets, sidewalks, and pedestrian rights-of-way throughout the City of Los Angeles;</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr">Managing Temple Street Slow Jams, Los Angeles Walks’ Vision Zero Outreach &amp; Engagement Program implemented in collaboration with Public Matters, the Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California, and Gabba Gallery in Historic Filipinotown and Echo Park;</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr">Representing Los Angeles Walks on many committees and task forces across the city.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">Please join me in congratulating Emilia on her promotion from Policy and Program Manager to Executive Director of Los Angeles Walks. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Please also join Los Angeles Walks in our work to create safe streets for all by providing a <a href="https://losangeleswalks.nationbuilder.com/donate" target="_blank">recurring donation</a> or a <a href="https://losangeleswalks.nationbuilder.com/one_time_donations" target="_blank">one-time donation</a>.</strong> It will take more effort than ever before to address the public health crisis on our city streets, where there has been a 36% increase in pedestrian deaths and serious injuries since Vision Zero launched in Los Angeles. As of early August 2017, 77 pedestrians have been killed on LA streets this year. Through your support, you will help to:</p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr">Assure that Measure M implements first and last mile and complete streets projects that improve safety and access for people walking and biking;</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr">Address the public health disparities in our underserved communities of color, particularly in South Los Angeles;</p>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr">Put LA Walks on the frontlines of community engagement for safe streets projects across the city, in particular in communities where there is support for Vision Zero and safe streets.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">Or, consider joining our team! Applications for the <strong><a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/jobs" target="_blank">Advocacy and Engagement Manager position</a></strong> are due Friday, September 15th. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Thank you for reading and for your continued support. </strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">We are all pedestrians, </p>
<p dir="ltr">Deborah Murphy</p>
<p dir="ltr">Los Angeles Walks Founder and Chief Strategist</p>Thu, 14 Sep 2017 06:04:09 -0700Deborah Murphyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/la_walks_growing
Save AB 390 from Death by Bad Referral<p><strong>Please call and email Senator Ricardo Lara today! (Thursday, August 31, 2017)</strong></p>
<div><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1182/attachments/original/1504213755/Sam_Chu_image.jpg?1504213755" alt="Sam_Chu_image.jpg" /></div>
<div>Image courtesy of <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/samuelchupage/posts/10155794929630087" target="_blank">Samuel Chu</a></strong>
</div>
<div></div>
<p><em>Already good to go? Call: <strong><a target="_blank">(916) 651-4033</a></strong></em></p>
<div>
<p>AB 390 - the bill that would make it legal to cross the street during the countdown phase of the pedestrian signal - was put on suspense <span class="m_9039111265805057435gmail-aBn">on Monday, August 28th</span> due to a misunderstanding by the State Department of Finance. </p>
</div>
<div>If <strong><a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB390" target="_blank">AB 390</a></strong> does not come off suspense at <span class="m_9039111265805057435gmail-aBn">Friday</span> morning's Senate Appropriations hearing (tomorrow), it will be over for California's crosswalk law update.<br>
<div></div>
<div>
<p><strong>&gt;&gt; Please contact Senate Appropriations Chair Ricardo Lara to ask that AB 390 come off suspense.</strong></p>
</div>
</div>
<p><strong>CAPITOL OFFICE</strong></p>
<p><strong>PHONE: <a target="_blank">(916) 651-4033</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a target="_blank"></a></strong><strong>EMAIL:</strong> <strong><a href="mailto:Mark.McKenzie@sen.ca.gov" target="_blank">Mark.McKenzie@sen.ca.gov</a> </strong>(<em>find sample email text below</em>)</p>
<p><strong>Twitter:</strong> @SenRicardoLara <strong> </strong></p>
<div>
<span><strong>What went wrong? </strong>The Dept. of Finance recommended the bill be reviewed by the California Traffic Control Device Committee (CTCDC). The CTCDC is not appropriate here because 1) this is not new device (it has been in service since 2001) and 2) this bill is about enforcement, which is determined by California Vehicle Code (CVC). The California Traffic Control Device Committee does not advise on enforcement, and only the state legislature can make changes to the CVC.</span>
<div></div>
<div>
<p><strong>Summary:</strong> AB 390 has come a long way, and Los Angeles Walks has been a strong supporter <strong><a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/clarify_the_crosswalk_law_ab390" target="_blank">from the start</a></strong>. Let's not allow a referral error to be the death of this important update to our law and to enforcement procedures. </p>
</div>
</div>
<div><strong> </strong></div>
<div>
<strong>Please call, email, and tag Senator Lara today so he gets the message and removes AB 390 from suspense.</strong> </div>Thu, 31 Aug 2017 14:40:00 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/save_ab_390
LA Vision Zero Two Years In<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/15/attachments/original/1503597229/LA0_policy_platform_F.pdf?1503597229" target="_blank"><strong>Click here to read the LA Vision Zero Alliance policy platform and guiding values, a roadmap for the City to eliminate traffic deaths through an approach that is equitable, community-centered, and transparent.</strong></a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Written by Scott Frazier </p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Today marks two years since Mayor Eric Garcetti signed Executive Directive 10, formally launching the Vision Zero initiative in Los Angeles.</strong> In instituting its own <strong><a href="visionzero.lacity.org" target="_blank">Vision Zero program</a></strong>, Los Angeles joined a growing international movement based on the belief that traffic fatalities are always preventable and that saving lives is a compelling public interest that should govern how we design our road network.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Today is the 2nd anniversary of <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorOfLA">@MayorOfLA</a>'s directive establishing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VisionZeroLA?src=hash">#VisionZeroLA</a>! Here are just a few examples of what we've done since... <a href="https://t.co/rlF7byzIXn">pic.twitter.com/rlF7byzIXn</a></p>
— VisionZeroLA (@VisionZeroLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/VisionZeroLA/status/900766625925783552">August 24, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">As Mayor Garcetti put it on signing Executive Directive 10: “Fatalities are not a tolerable byproduct of transportation. Loss of life and severe injuries resulting from traffic crashes are unacceptable outcomes that we can address.” Vision Zero is about prioritizing the safety of Los Angeles’s community members regardless of how they move around the city. But <strong>Vision Zero is more than just a statement of intent. It is about the complete elimination of fatal crashes in the City.</strong> Mayor Garcetti’s Directive laid out a benchmark goal of reducing fatalities by 20% in 2017, and reducing them to 0 by 2025. This is an ambitious goal that requires funding and action.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Los Angeles Vision Zero has a mixed record of achievement in its first two years. City leaders, led by Councilmembers Mike Bonin, José Huizar, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Paul Krekorian, and Nury Martinez, recently renewed their commitment to Vision Zero in increasing funding to the program from $3.5 million to $27 million in the current budget year. This money will help give L.A.’s most dangerous streets the life-saving makeovers that they need. The increase is all-the-more important as previous funding levels have been decidedly insufficient for meeting the City’s stated goals. <strong>Far from meeting the preliminary goal of a 20% reduction of traffic deaths by 2017, the number of fatalities on Los Angeles’ streets has continued to grow.</strong> The number of people killed by vehicles while walking this year has increased by nearly a quarter since last year, and by more than two-thirds from 2015.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The new infusion of financial support could make a major difference, though, as it complements the work that has been undertaken by Vision Zero and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to date. In the first two years, LADOT has conducted data analysis and safety studies for Vision Zero, culminating in the development of a Vision Zero Action Plan, which prioritizes project implementation for projects citywide based on what is called the “High-Injury Network” of streets. City staff has determined that 65% of fatal collisions occur on just 6% of L.A.’s streets, which make optimum targets for Vision Zero investment due to their unsafe design and high levels of pedestrian activity.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Based on the Action Plan, LADOT has identified 40 corridors for upcoming improvements. <strong>As Phase 1 of implementation, Vision Zero has resulted in the installation of 404 new crosswalks, 109 new speed feedback signs, and 117 new intersection tightenings (below).</strong></p>
<p><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1181/attachments/original/1503614495/Lane_tightening_w_credit.jpg?1503614495" alt="Lane_tightening_w_credit.jpg" /></p>
<p>During the past two years, Vision Zero has also been the subject of a brand awareness marketing campaign and a community-based education and outreach campaign on specific corridors. LADOT has also developed an online tool to map the impact of traffic deaths, while showing its commitment to the program by growing its dedicated staff to more than 10 people.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Vision Zero should carry with it a sense of urgency, because the status quo is deadly. Two hundred and seventy three people have been killed or seriously injured this year alone after being struck by a car while walking. <strong>Over the course of the past two years, the Los Angeles Vision Zero Alliance, coordinated by Los Angeles Walks, has sought to keep that urgency squarely in focus for city officials.</strong> The Alliance has pushed the City to improve in three main areas of emphasis:</p>
<ul>
<li>Increasing and equitably distributing funding for Vision Zero project implementation,</li>
<li>improving the community engagement process, and</li>
<li>strengthening transparency and accountability mechanisms for Vision Zero projects.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>This week, as the City marks the anniversary of its Vision Zero program, the Vision Zero Alliance releases its <a href="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/15/attachments/original/1503597229/LA0_policy_platform_F.pdf?1503597229" target="_blank">policy platform and guiding values</a>, which will shape advocacy efforts for the 20+ member coalition going forward. </strong>The Alliance will use the platform to monitor, track, and evaluate Vision Zero initiatives by relevant City departments and among elected officials. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a44d66a0-15af-5681-d93e-957ce66766e9"><span><strong>The Alliance presses the City to distribute Vision Zero investments equitably</strong>, prioritizing “low-income communities of color - residents who are most at risk of being hit by a car because of current street conditions and a history of disinvestment,” said Monique López, Deputy Executive Director of Advocacy at the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. “We also need to make sure that strong policies are in place and resources available for anti-displacement measures, so residents are not priced out of their neighborhood once street improvements are made.” </span></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>The policy platform is being released at particularly important time for Vision Zero.</strong> LADOT is quickly updating the speed surveys that will allow the Los Angeles Police Department to resume enforcing speed infractions in the city. LAPD has created a deployment plan for speed enforcement, but has thus far not made that plan public. <span id="docs-internal-guid-a44d66a0-15ad-f885-859b-55bd6be85d66">The Vision Zero Alliance is concerned that traffic enforcement efforts under the Vision Zero banner could result in the continued over-policing of Black and Brown residents, as seen in Sacramento and Chicago Vision Zero enforcement strategies. “It is problematic for the City’s Vision Zero initiative to subject residents to increased police presence without acknowledging the legacy of racist land use policies evidenced by inadequate and unsafe street infrastructure,” said Megan McClaire, Director of Health Equity at the Advancement Project California, and Anisha Hingorani, Program and Policy Manager at Multicultural Communities for Mobility, both Vision Zero Alliance member organizations. <strong>“We urge the City to prioritize investments in design over enforcement, and require that LAPD commit to a ‘no racial profiling pledge’ to explicitly address the historic practice of over-policing and disproportionate enforcement of communities of color.”</strong></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1181/attachments/original/1503605132/3.png?1503605132" alt="3.png" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">The Vision Zero Alliance also believes that it is critical to engage community members in the development, implementation, and evaluation of roadway redesigns. The Alliance believes that the City must develop guidelines for deep, culturally and linguistically competent engagement in order to ensure that Vision Zero projects can be effectively integrated into the community where they will be located. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>The stakes are high, but the Alliance believes the City can</strong><strong> achieve Vision Zero,</strong> despite the recent pushback that has been seen on the Westside. The Vision Zero Alliance is committed to helping the City to achieve Vision Zero, and offers its policy recommendations as a means of eliminating traffic fatalities in an equitable, community-centered, and transparent way. </p>
<p><strong>To learn more about joining the LA Vision Zero Alliance, contact Emilia Crotty at <a href="mailto:emilia@losangeleswalks.org">emilia@losangeleswalks.org</a>.</strong></p>Thu, 24 Aug 2017 12:15:00 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/la_vision_zero_two_years
Vista del Mar is a Sad, but Instructive Lesson for Los Angeles<p dir="ltr"><em><strong>Written by Mehmet Berker and Scott Frazier. Image via <a href="http://la.streetsblog.org/" target="_blank">Streetsblog LA</a>.</strong></em> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><span><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/1178/attachments/original/1502815616/VistaDelMar17Jun6_Streetsblog.jpg?1502815616" alt="VistaDelMar17Jun6_Streetsblog.jpg" /></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>At the end of July, Councilmember Mike Bonin of Los Angeles’ 11th district </span><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MikeBoninCD11/videos/1618272658191270/" target="_blank">announced that his office had arranged to remove 400 parking spots</a></strong><span> from Vista del Mar in Playa del Rey (above), replacing them with spaces in the County’s adjacent Dockweiler State Beach lot. The decision, which allowed for the restoration of a traffic lane in each direction, effectively signals the end of the safety project on Vista del Mar just two months after it was first introduced.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>This is a disappointing setback for people who walk in Los Angeles. <strong>Despite having made tentative progress in recent years, people walking are still too-frequently expected to take risks with their personal safety in order to maintain the privilege of drivers to speed through residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors.</strong> Though the outcome is sad, hopefully Vista del Mar can serve as a teachable moment whose lessons will help protect safe streets projects for people walking, bicycling, and driving in other parts of the city.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Unlike other projects in the area, including the separate </span><strong><a href="http://www.11thdistrict.com/safe_streets_for_playa_del_rey" target="_blank">Safe Streets for Playa del Rey Initiative</a></strong><span> that introduced road diets on Culver Boulevard, Jefferson Boulevard, and Pershing Drive, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) undertook the reconfiguration of Vista del Mar as a result of the legal liability posed by the roadway’s deadly status quo. In April, the Los Angeles City Council </span><strong><a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-wrongful-death-settlement-20170419-story.html" target="_blank">settled a wrongful death lawsuit</a></strong><span> with the parents of Naomi Larsen, a teenager who was killed in a 2015 collision on Vista del Mar as she left the beach. The suit contended that fatal collisions were a “foreseeable” consequence of a road design that left pedestrians to fend for themselves on a miles-long stretch of road that had no crosswalks. With </span><strong><a href="http://argonautnews.com/no-shortcuts-to-safety/" target="_blank">a similar lawsuit pending</a></strong><span> in the case of the 2016 death of Michael Lockridge and the summer beach season approaching, the City felt pressure to take immediate action and improve the safety of Vista del Mar.</span></p>
<p>The project, which was announced in May, sought to address conditions near Dockweiler State Beach by <strong><a href="http://la.streetsblog.org/2017/06/07/playa-del-rey-street-safety-improvements-court-driver-backlash/" target="_blank">targeting the most dangerous elements</a></strong> of the existing design. Parking spaces were moved to the west side of the street to reduce the number of pedestrians crossing Vista del Mar. Illegal U-turns were mitigated by providing space for cars to turn around safely. Vehicle speeds were slowed by reducing the number of traffic lanes on Vista del Mar.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>This last point about speed is especially key, as a new study by the <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/Documents/2017-DCA15SS002-BMG-Abstract.pdf" target="_blank">National Transportation Safety Board</a></strong><span><strong> has confirmed Vision Zero’s contention that controlling car speeds is essential to eliminating traffic fatalities.</strong> Speeding is a contributing factor to nearly one third of vehicle collisions and, as speed increases, people walking become much less likely to survive a car’s impact. Whereas 90% of pedestrians survive vehicle impacts at 20 mph, </span><a href="http://visionzeronetwork.org/safety-over-speed/"><span>at 40 mph that number drops to just 10%</span></a><span>. The study by the NTSB, the authority on safe transportation practices, found that insufficient attention and resources have been directed to the development and enforcement of safe speed limits.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The reconfiguration of Vista del Mar was not part of the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan, but it was carried out simultaneously with nearby projects in the 11th District: the Great Streets makeover of Venice Boulevard in the Mar Vista neighborhood, which was a priority listed in the Vision Zero Action Plan, and the aforementioned Safe Streets for Playa del Rey project, which was implemented in response to community concerns. While these projects had each been in development for several years, <strong>the Vista del Mar project did not receive the benefit of public outreach because of the imminent legal threat. Perhaps most importantly, this meant that the City lost an important opportunity to set a clear agenda for the goals of the project that included reducing dangerous car speeds on Vista del Mar.</strong></span></p>
<p>Since their implementation, the three safe streets projects in the 11th District have each been the recipient of a furious and frequently vicious backlash. Public meetings regarding the roadway reconfigurations have not been civil or constructive, and have at times devolved into the open mocking of concerns for the safety of people walking and riding bicycles. Some of the loudest opponents of the Playa del Rey projects, from South Bay cities like Manhattan Beach, have been impervious to the argument that they have prioritized safety near their own homes, but regard their commuting time as more important than safety in other people’s neighborhoods.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In response, Bonin’s office has attempted to meet critics halfway. The Los Angeles Times </span><strong><a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-vista-del-mar-lanes-20170726-story.html" target="_blank">said the agreement</a></strong><span> between Bonin’s office and Supervisor Janice Hahn had been called a “win-win” that would satisfy commuters and beachgoers, but the fact remains that a safe road redesign is being abandoned to cater to the loudest and angriest voices in the room.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The “win-win” solution on Vista del Mar is reminiscent of what Los Angeles has tried for decades -- a solution in which the very presence of pedestrians is seen as a problem that needs solving. <strong>Instead of making walking safer, we try to address safety by removing the walkers. History has shown that not only is this approach disruptive to the community, it also will never be fully effective.</strong> People will still walk across Vista del Mar, whether they are going to Vista del Mar Park, or walking from their home to enjoy a day at the beach, or for whatever other possible reason. The lack of lighting, lack of crosswalks, and low-visibility conditions from fog will still make it dangerous to cross, or walk along, a de facto speedway, but reverting Vista del Mar to its previous configuration simply ignores the existence of these people so South Bay commuters can resume speeding through the neighborhood.</span></p>
<p>In his video, Councilmember Bonin acknowledged the public safety crisis that traffic collisions pose in Los Angeles, and we commend his correct assertion that controlling speed is the most effective means of eliminating fatal car crashes, as we commend his championing of the Vision Zero initiative across Los Angeles. Councilmember Bonin has been a leader among the City’s elected officials in giving discussions of street safety for all Angelenos the weight that they deserve. But it is flatly disappointing that speed was not a primary consideration in terminating the road diet, just as it’s disappointing to hear the Councilmember call this project a “mistake.” Despite the vitriol that characterized the backlash to this project, this was a smart redesign that gave due consideration to protecting the lives of human beings.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In the long term, we will be pushing the City to create a permanent pedestrian facility on the west side of Vista del Mar, and to make sure that extra roadway space will not merely be left to encourage unsafe driving speeds. We are also hopeful that the task force Councilmember Bonin has announced to examine the community-supported Safe Streets for Playa del Rey Initiative will provide an opportunity for more productive conversations to take place. We believe that it is of paramount importance that design elements intended to protect pedestrians be protected throughout this process.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>TAKE ACTION:</strong> Attend the Tuesday, August 15 6:30pm Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa meeting to express your support for complete streets and pedestrian-friendly roadways. <strong><a href="http://www.ncwpdr.org/ncwp/ncwp-board-meeting-aug-15-2017" target="_blank">Find details here.</a></strong></p>Tue, 15 Aug 2017 09:54:00 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/vista_del_mar_lesson_for_los_angeles
ACTION ALERT: Protect Safe Street Projects on the Westside<p>Safe street projects on the Westside are under attack from vocal opponents who prefer the status quo over safety.</p>
<p><strong>No matter where you live, we need you to take action to protect Vision Zero projects in Mar Vista and Playa del Rey. See below for details.</strong> </p>
<p><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/175/attachments/original/1498784709/Venice_Blvd_v5_650.jpg?1498784709" alt="Venice_Blvd_v5_650.jpg" /></p>
<p>Opponents want to squash evidence-based road safety interventions in favor of their own convenient commutes, potentially setting a troubling precedent for Vision Zero projects across LA. (<a href="http://www.la-bike.org/take_action_with_lacbc_support_safe_streets_on_the_westside" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Read more from LACBC here.</strong></span></a>)</p>
<p><strong>Our decision-makers need to know that Los Angeles does NOT want to be the most dangerous city in America for traffic crashes anymore</strong> - a place where traffic collisions are currently the leading cause of death for kids.</p>
<p>You can help to end this public health crisis by supporting roadway redesigns that improve walking and biking - whether those Vision Zero projects are in your backyard or way across town. </p>
<p><span style="color: #f06045;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>Top Three Ways to Take Action</strong> </span></span></p>
<p><strong>1. Attend the Wednesday, July 5 Venice Neighborhood Council meeting</strong> at 7pm to provide public comment supporting the Venice Blvd. Great Streets projects. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.la-bike.org/take_action_with_lacbc_support_safe_streets_on_the_westside" target="_blank">More details</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>2. Attend the Tuesday, July 11 Mar Vista Community Council meeting</strong> at 7pm to share your support for streets safe for walking, biking, and driving. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4wR_MItws-cpE-zXDZSB7MZlHD1I-RD69cxEkdpZEuOlmgg/viewform" target="_blank">RSVP here</a></strong></span></p>
<p><strong>3. Email the Venice Neighborhood Council and Mar Vista Community Council before July 5</strong> to express your support for complete, safe streets. <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.la-bike.org/take_action_with_lacbc_support_safe_streets_on_the_westside" target="_blank">More details (scroll down)</a></span> </strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #f06045;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>Additional Opportunities</strong> </span></span></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Volunteer to phone bank on Wednesday, July 5</strong> anytime 4pm-8pm with our partners at the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC). <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="mailto:elizabeth@la-bike.org?subject=Volunteer%0A&amp;body=Please%20sign%20me%20up%20to%20phone%20bank%20for%20Westside%20street%20safety!">RSVP</a></strong></span>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Join the LACBC Sunday Funday Ride this Sunday, July 2</strong> at 9:30am to tour safety improvements in Mar Vista and Playa del Rey. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1962036834009421/?acontext=%7B%22action_history%22%3A%22%5B%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22%3A%5C%22page%5C%22%2C%5C%22mechanism%5C%22%3A%5C%22page_upcoming_events_card%5C%22%2C%5C%22extra_data%5C%22%3A%5B%5D%7D%5D%22%2C%22has_source%22%3Atrue%7D" target="_blank"><strong>Details &amp; RSVP</strong></a></span>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><strong><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4wR_MItws-cpE-zXDZSB7MZlHD1I-RD69cxEkdpZEuOlmgg/viewform" target="_blank"><br></a></strong></strong><span id="docs-internal-guid-1bf92091-f553-bd87-3306-e30fd7bd8ddc">The LA Department of Transportation used internationally proven and evidence-based methods to design new street safety improvements in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.11thdistrict.com/mar_vista_great_street" target="_blank">Mar Vista</a></strong></span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.11thdistrict.com/safe_streets_for_playa_del_rey?utm_campaign=may17" target="_blank">Playa del Rey</a></strong></span> after collecting community input. Don't let opponents stifle these projects just as they are poised to yield results. </span><br><br><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.la-bike.org/take_action_with_lacbc_support_safe_streets_on_the_westside" target="_blank">Take action today and in the coming week. Show up strong for safe, healthy, vibrant streets across Los Angeles.</a></strong></span><br><br><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4wR_MItws-cpE-zXDZSB7MZlHD1I-RD69cxEkdpZEuOlmgg/viewform" target="_blank"><strong>Don't forget to RSVP for the July 11 Mar Vista Community Council meeting, where turnout is key!</strong></a></span></p>Thu, 29 Jun 2017 18:07:00 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/action_alert_westside
The Tripping Point is HERE! Sign Up<p><strong>The Tripping Point advocacy training summit for smooth sidewalks and safe, healhty streets is this Saturday! <a href="https://trippingpoint2017.splashthat.com/" target="_blank">REGISTER NOW</a> before we reach capacity and close sign-ups. FREE!</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://trippingpoint2017.splashthat.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/174/attachments/original/1496689625/20170602_Tripping_Point_postcard_FRONT.jpg?1496689625" alt="Tripping Point" /> </a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Ask an Angeleno basic questions about our city streets, like how to request a curb ramp, what the heck an <strong><a href="https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/hdbk/right_of_way">“unmarked crosswalk”</a></strong> is, or how to improve a bus stop, and you’re likely to get a ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Los Angeles Walks is out to change that through <a href="https://trippingpoint2017.splashthat.com/">The Tripping Point</a>, a FREE half-day advocacy training summit we’re co-hosting this Saturday, June 10th in Boyle Heights.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>What you'll get at The Tripping Point:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The skills, tools, strategies, and insights you need to more effectively shape your world.</li>
<li>A fundamental understanding of the who, what, where, when, why of transportation, streets, and sidewalks in LA. </li>
<li>A chance to meet decision-makers and practitioners who build our urban environment. </li>
<li>Food! Light breakfast and lunch are included.</li>
<li>Need Spanish translation or childcare? We've got that too. </li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Here’s why you should <a href="https://trippingpoint2017.splashthat.com/">register today</a>:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Because now is the time for Angelenos to understand how our built environment takes shape, who determines its form, and how to influence the process.</strong></p>
<p>The City of Los Angeles is in the midst of a Mobility Moment. In the last year alone:</p>
<ul>
<li>LA City Council adopted the sweeping and ambitious Mobility Plan 2035.</li>
<li>LA County voters passed Measure M, expressing overwhelming support for public transit expansion.</li>
<li>LA Bureau of Engineering launched Safe Sidewalks LA, finally committing to repair our sidewalk network.</li>
<li>LA Dept. of Transportation released a Vision Zero Action Plan outlining safety solutions for 40 priority roadway corridors in 2017.</li>
<li>LA City Council increased the City’s Vision Zero budget from $3 million in 2017 to $27.2 million in 2018.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>So, join us this <a href="https://trippingpoint2017.splashthat.com/" target="_blank">Saturday, June 10th</a> </strong><strong><a href="https://trippingpoint2017.splashthat.com/" target="_blank">at Puente Learning Center in Boyle Heights from 9am to 2pm</a> for keynotes, interactive trainings, workshops, and networking with colleagues, friends, advocacy leaders, public agency staff, and elected officials' staff.</strong></p>
<p>Anyone interested in safe sidewalks and crosswalks, complete streets, bus shelters, and/or healthy trees for shade is welcome!</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>About the Day</strong></p>
<p>We’ll hear from keynote speakers Deputy Mayor Barbara Romero and City of Los Angeles Councilmember Nury Martinez, followed by community voices. Next up will be a 45-minute introductory session called Pathways to Change 101, before we split into breakout sessions.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Los Angeles Walks will host two breakout sessions that focus on advocacy through hyper-local organizing. Join us at:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><strong>10:50am-12pm</strong>: Hands-On Walk Audit: A Practical Tool to Assess Your Walking Environment &amp; Engage Allies</p>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><strong>12:40pm-1:50pm</strong>: Organizing for Change: The Power of Relationships (led by <a href="http://proyectopastoral.org/" target="_blank"><strong>Proyecto Pastoral</strong></a>)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/174/attachments/original/1496689625/20170602_Tripping_Point_postcard_BACK.jpg?1496689625" alt="Tripping Point.jpg" /></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Voters, lawmakers, and City staff have turned their attention to how we get around, and - importantly - how we can get around while preserving human life, saving street trees, and improving environmental health.</strong> After a lot of hard work by advocates and staffers, long-overdue decisions about mobility in Los Angeles are finally being made, and long-overdue investments are finally being dedicated to our urban infrastructure.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Now is the time to understand how we can make our voices heard during this process!</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://trippingpoint2017.splashthat.com/" target="_blank">Register now! Space is limited to just over 100 participants. Sign up today to secure your spot!</a></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>****</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>The Tripping Point is a collaboration between Investing in Place, Los Angeles Walks, AARP, the Los Angeles Aging Advocacy Coalition, Pacoima Beautiful, and Tree People. </strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><em>Funding for LA Walks' breakout sessions was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</em>.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/174/attachments/original/1496689388/Cal_Walks-SafeTREC-OTS_combined_logos.png?1496689388" alt="Focus Cities" /></strong></p>Mon, 05 Jun 2017 12:35:00 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/the_tripping_point_2017
It's Time to Clarify the Crosswalk Law<p><strong>Today, Friday, May 5th, contact the <a href="http://atrn.assembly.ca.gov/content/members" target="_blank">CA State Assembly Transportation Committee</a> to support Assembly Bill 390, the crosswalk countdown law! </strong></p>
<p><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/169/attachments/original/1493984923/pedcountdown_640.jpg?1493984923" alt="pedcountdown_640.jpg" /></p>
<p>Across California, it's currently illegal to step off the curb and cross the street once a pedestrian countdown signal has begun, even if the person walking knows they have enough time to cross.</p>
<p>Yep, the <strong><a href="http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=21456.&amp;lawCode=VEH" target="_blank">California Vehicle Code</a></strong> states that it is unlawful for a person to enter a crosswalk at any time other than when the signal says “Walk," including during a countdown. Why? Because the law was written before pedestrian countdown clocks even existed!</p>
<p><strong>It's time our state legislators update this law, not only to bring it in line with the times and avoid confusion, but to bring an end to counterproductive LAPD pedestrian "jaywalking" sting operations</strong>, widely covered in spring 2015 by the <strong><a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-0426-lopez-eduardo-20150424-column.html#page=1" target="_blank"><em>LA Times</em></a> </strong>and <strong><a href="http://la.streetsblog.org/2015/04/29/fix-the-law-that-criminalizes-l-a-s-pedestrians/" target="_blank">Streetsblog LA</a></strong>. </p>
<p><strong><a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB390" target="_blank">Assembly Bill 390</a></strong>, recently introduced by Assemblymembers Santiago and Ting, will change the law to make it legal for people walking to enter the crosswalk during a countdown signal if there is enough time to reasonably complete the crossing safely. This will bring the law in line with how pedestrians are actually behaving - so we can all stop breaking the law unintentionally.</p>
<p>One more benefit of the clarified law is that pedestrians who enter the crosswalk during the countdown phase will more clearly have the right of way. Should a person walking be involved in a collision, the updated law may make it easier to argue that the pedestrian was acting lawfully. <em>(Reminder that drivers should ALWAYS yield to pedestrians.) </em></p>
<p>Take action! <strong>Contact the <a href="http://atrn.assembly.ca.gov/content/members" target="_blank">CA State Assembly Transportation Committee</a> to urge them to support AB 390. </strong> </p>Fri, 05 May 2017 04:50:00 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/clarify_the_crosswalk_law_ab390
Tell City Council to Fully Fund Vision Zero this Monday<p>This Monday, May 1, 2017, LA City Council's Budget and Finance Committee will hold a hearing on Mayor Garcetti's proposed 2017-18 city budget, <strong>including a close review of the proposed Transportation budget</strong>. <br><br><strong>While the Mayor's proposal does increase funding for Vision Zero, it doesn't go far enough.</strong> <br><br>In fact, it falls about $63 million short from funding work needed to achieve Vision Zero's initial benchmark: a 20% reduction in traffic deaths by the end of 2017. <br><br><span style="color: #f06045;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><strong>Take Action!</strong> </span></span><br><br><strong></strong><strong><a href="https://investinginplace.org/2017/04/27/join-us-friday-at-2pm-for-a-conference-call-on-the-city-of-las-2017-2018-transportation-budget/" target="_blank">Dial-in to an info call this Friday, April 28, at 2pm, and then join us at City Hall on Monday morning, May 1, to speak up for fully funding Vision Zero in LA.</a><br></strong><br>Los Angeles is the deadliest city for traffic crashes in the United States. Traffic collisions are the leading cause of death for children ages 5 to 14 in Los Angeles County. <br><strong><br></strong>Our leaders need to hear it loud and clear:<strong> a public health crisis of this magnitude demands adequate funding. </strong><br> <br><a href="https://investinginplace.org/2017/04/27/join-us-friday-at-2pm-for-a-conference-call-on-the-city-of-las-2017-2018-transportation-budget/" target="_blank"><strong>RSVP now for Friday's call (hosted by Investing in Place), and join us in person on Monday morning at City Hall. </strong></a><br><br>Hope to see you there!<br><br><strong>PS: Can't be there on Monday? <a href="http://councilcommittee.lacity.org/budget/AbouttheBudgetandFinanceCommittee/index.html" target="_blank">Contact the Budget &amp; Finance Committee to voice your support for a robust, fully funded Vision Zero initiative in Los Angeles.</a> </strong></p>Fri, 28 Apr 2017 08:27:00 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/lacity_budget_fund_vision_zero
Dear Transportation Committee: Use Local Return to Save Lives<p><em>On Wednesday, March 29th, LA City Council Transportation Committee members will consider how to spend Measure M Local Return dollars - roughly $50 million every year for the foreseeable future. </em></p>
<p><em>Los Angeles Walks believes a significant portion of these funds should be used to build an equitable street and sidewalk system that is safe, comfortable, and convenient for people of all ages, abilities, and modes of transportation across LA.</em></p>
<p><em>Read our letter to the City Council Transportation Committee below.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dear Los Angeles City Council Transportation Committee Members,</p>
<p>What a terrific opportunity Measure M Local Return funding presents for the City of Los Angeles, which already has forward-looking plans in place to guide this critical decision – one that has the potential to significantly improve the safety, comfort, and convenience of road users of all ages, abilities, and modes of transportation long into the future.</p>
<p><strong>Los Angeles Walks</strong> <strong>urges City Council members to take into account the key policy initiatives, strategies, and goals of both Mobility Plan 2035 and the Vision Zero Action Plan when considering how to spend future Local Return funding.</strong></p>
<p>Ultimately, we ask that you consider committing 20% of Local Return to fund safety-enhancing projects that help the City to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries in Los Angeles and achieve Vision Zero.</p>
<p>Both Mobility Plan 2035 and Vision Zero prioritize safety and call for a transportation system that, above all else, preserves and protects human life. In fact, a key principle of Vision Zero Los Angeles is that government policies at all levels should be coordinated to promote safety as the highest priority. Mobility Plan 2035 calls on the City to use data to prioritize transportation decisions that strive towards equity in safety, public health, access, social benefits, and economic benefits.</p>
<p><strong>As the City prepares to receive roughly $50 million in sales tax revenue every year through Local Return, this is an important moment to remember these principles and to acknowledge the true cost of our current transportation system. </strong></p>
<p>In Los Angeles in 2016, 260 children, older adults, men, and women were killed in traffic collisions, making LA the deadliest city for traffic crashes in the United States. Sadly, traffic collisions are the leading cause of death for children ages 5 to 14 in Los Angeles County.</p>
<p>The status quo is not acceptable. And in fact, conditions are worsening. Pedestrian fatalities in Los Angeles jumped by almost 50% between 2015 and 2016. Meanwhile, current Vision Zero funding - $3 million in 2017 – is woefully inadequate. Upon the release of the Vision Zero Action Plan, LA Department of Transportation General Manager Seleta Reynolds noted that millions more dollars are required in order to reach the City’s 2017 goal to reduce severe and fatal injuries for people walking and bicycling by 20%. </p>
<p><strong>Knowing this, an investment strategy that puts two-thirds of Measure M Local Return into repaving </strong><strong>“</strong><strong>D</strong><strong>”</strong><strong> and </strong><strong>“</strong><strong>F</strong><strong>”</strong><strong> streets, and divides that funding by 15 City Council districts, is not just outdated, it</strong><strong>’</strong><strong>s irresponsible.</strong> It ignores the core principles of our most visionary plans and policies, which call for City investments that protect life, health, and community while improving transportation.</p>
<p>For these reasons, we urge you to commit <strong>20% of Local Return funding to Vision Zero</strong> efforts and projects that work to create “complete streets” in Los Angeles – those that take into account the many community needs that streets fulfill.</p>
<p>As the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan states, “As the city with the most traffic deaths per capita, funding for solutions must match the severity of the problem.”</p>
<p>One final consideration that the City Council should acknowledge is that Local Return funds are often used to provide <strong>matching funds for active transportation projects</strong> where the City is pursuing grant funds from state and federal agencies like Caltrans and the FTA. These granting sources often don’t fund critical features like street trees, traffic calming devices like curb extensions, and street furniture. The City’s Local Return dollars can be used to fund these important design features of active transportation projects.</p>
<p><strong>Los Angeles Walks calls on City Council members to channel the visionary, ambitious spirit of Mobility Plan 2035 and LA Vision Zero when considering how to invest Measure M Local Return.</strong></p>Tue, 28 Mar 2017 15:43:50 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/use_local_return_to_save_lives
Action Alert! Tell City Council Transportation Committee Members How to Spend $50M/year to Make LA Streets Safer<p class="p1">This Wednesday, March 29th, LA City Council's Transportation Committee will discuss how to spend almost $50 million per year on local transportation infrastructure, like better sidewalks, crosswalks, and lighting. These funds, generated from the recent <a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/measure_m_safe_walkable_communities" target="_blank"><strong>Measure M sales tax initiative</strong></a>, are called "Local Return," and will start to flow on July 1, 2017 -- very soon! </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Now is the time to tell LA City Council members that Local Return funding should be used to make our streets safer and more welcoming to people</strong> - especially the most vulnerable among us: children, older adults, people with disabilities, and anyone walking or bicycling.<strong><br> <br> Take Action! </strong><strong>Send an email to Transportation Committee members today!</strong></p>
<p class="p1"><strong style="color: #ea1d14;">Scroll down to find a complete email template urging City Council members to:</strong></p>
<ul class="ul1">
<li>Dedicate Local Return funds to improving street safety, helping LA to achieve its ambitious Vision Zero goals. </li>
<li class="li1">Prioritize low-income communities and communities of color, often last to receive critical infrastructure investments. </li>
<li class="li1">Commit to data transparency and community engagement every step of the way.</li>
</ul>
<p>Measure M Local Return presents a terrific opportunity to fund the safe, equitable walking and bicycling environment Los Angeles has needed for decades. </p>
<p class="p2"><strong>Tell your City Council member to seize this moment! </strong> </p>
<p class="p2"><strong>Contact City Council members today</strong> to ensure that Measure M Local Return funding prioritizes safety, focuses on equity, and supports our most basic, affordable, and healthiest forms of transportation for years to come. </p>
<p class="p2">Thank you to our Vision Zero Alliance partners at the <a href="http://www.la-bike.org/makeLAcity" target="_blank">Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition</a> for guiding this effort. </p>
<p class="p2"><strong>Interested in doing more? Show up to City Council on Wednesday, March 29 at 12:45pm in City Hall Room 1010 to testify in person! </strong></p>
<p class="p2">_______________________________________________________________</p>
<p class="p2">Copy, paste, and send the email below today! </p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Sample Email</strong></p>
<p class="p2"><strong>To: </strong><a href="mailto:councilmember.bonin@lacity.org">councilmember.bonin@lacity.org</a>, <a href="mailto:paul.koretz@lacity.org">paul.koretz@lacity.org</a></p>
<p class="p2"><strong>cc: </strong><a href="mailto:councilmember.huizar@lacity.org">councilmember.huizar@lacity.org</a>, <a href="mailto:david.ryu@lacity.org">david.ryu@lacity.org</a>, <a href="mailto:councilmember.martinez@lacity.org">councilmember.martinez@lacity.org</a>, <a href="mailto:councilmember.harris-dawson@lacity.org">councilmember.harris-dawson@lacity.org</a></p>
<p class="p2"><strong>Bcc: </strong>emilia@losangeleswalks.org, lyndsey@la-bike.org</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Subj:</strong> Use Measure M Local Return to #MakeLACity streets safer for all Angelenos! CF# <a href="https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&amp;cfnumber=16-0395">16-0395</a></p>
<p class="p1">Dear Honorable Councilmembers,</p>
<p class="p1">As a ___________ [e.g. bike rider, pedestrian, transit user, student, parent, etc.], I strongly encourage the City to use Measure M Local Return dollars to prioritize active transportation, safety, and equity.</p>
<p class="p1">The City of L.A. will receive about $50 million dollars annually from Measure M local return. I support using local return funds on projects that create safer, more livable streets so that we achieve Vision Zero and ensure that the visionary Mobility Plan 2035 becomes a reality - with a focus on equity that does not leave our most vulnerable residents behind. In deciding how to use Measure M local return funds, the City should consider the following priorities:</p>
<ol class="ol1">
<li class="li1">
<strong>Dedicate More Funding to Vision Zero </strong>- The City should set aside the majority of its local return to support its Vision Zero work. People walking and biking are at a disproportionate risk of being killed from traffic violence, accounting for 49% of deaths, despite being in only 14% of crashes. Emphasizing active transportation will ensure that the most vulnerable road users are prioritized.</li>
<li class="li1">
<strong>Resume Commitment to Bike Lane Installation</strong> - LACBC’s 2015 Bike and Pedestrian Count found that bike lane installation decreased from 101 miles in 2013 to just 11 miles in 2015, and only 25% of high priority bike lanes identified in the Bicycle Plan had been installed since 2010. A portion of local return funds should be used to install the other 75% of high priority bike lanes. The City should also conduct annual manual bicycle and pedestrian counts and/or install automatic counters across the city to track the impact of bike lane installation.</li>
<li class="li1">
<strong>Prioritize Low-Income Communities and Communities of Color</strong> - There is a historical and continual lack of investment in low-income communities and communities of color by government agencies who often leave these communities as afterthoughts of their planning practices. Local return dollars and Vision Zero are opportunities to prioritize low-income communities and communities of color - neighborhoods that have been historically neglected by street safety projects; where people are more likely to walk, bike, and take transit; and where a disproportionate percentage of serious and fatal traffic collisions occur. </li>
<li class="li1">
<strong>Commit to Data Transparency </strong>- Data collection is essential to understanding traffic deaths, prioritizing intervention locations and resources, and holding public agencies accountable. The City must demonstrate its commitment to equity by collecting better data on race/ethnicity and income to allow for more robust health equity analysis and targeted interventions. Potential strategies include: enhancing existing data collection sources and practices, accessing relevant data from alternative sources, and conducting community needs assessments in the High Injury Network neighborhoods.</li>
<li class="li1">
<strong>Promote Meaningful Community Engagement</strong> - Foster community dialogues with law enforcement to ensure that resident voices, especially those most disparately targeted by law enforcement (young men of color and transgender people of color) are used to shape Vision Zero's enforcement strategies, using prevention and restorative rather than criminalization approaches.</li>
</ol>
<p class="p1">Please ensure that active transportation, safety, and equity are prioritized in spending Measure M local return dollars.</p>
<p class="p1">Sincerely,</p>
<p class="p1">[Your name]</p>
<p class="p1">[Your address]</p>Mon, 27 Mar 2017 14:00:00 -0700Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/action_alert_local_return_march_2017
From Analysis to Action : The LA Vision Zero Action Plan is Out<p dir="ltr"><em>Under 4-minute read</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">Earlier today, February 8, 2017, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) presented the <strong><a href="https://www.joomag.com/magazine/vision-zero-action-plan-2017/0893807001485436685?short" target="_blank">Vision Zero Action Plan</a></strong> to members of the City Council Transportation Committee.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>The Action Plan outlines the City’s strategy for reducing traffic fatalities by 20% by the end of 2017</strong> -- the initial benchmark of the ten-year <strong><a href="http://visionzero.lacity.org/vision-zero-los-angeles-releases-rfq-community-based-organizations-artists/" target="_blank">Vision Zero initiative</a></strong> Mayor Eric Garcetti launched in August 2015 through Executive Directive 10.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/163/attachments/original/1486418268/Vision_Zero_Signing.jpg?1486418268" alt="Vision_Zero_Signing.jpg" />Mayor Garcetti signs Executive Directive 10 in August 2015</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">Ultimately, Vision Zero aims to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries in the City of Los Angeles by 2025.</p>
<p>The Action Plan arrives after LADOT, in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, spent more than a year analyzing collision data in order to thoroughly understand the problem of traffic crashes in Los Angeles. Here in LA, more than <strong>200 people are killed and close to 1000 people are seriously injured</strong><strong> in traffic every year</strong>. Alarmingly, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death of children between the ages of 5 and 14 in Los Angeles.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>As the Vision Zero Action Plan states, Los Angeles is facing a public health crisis.</strong> Pedestrian fatalities in Los Angeles jumped by almost 50% between 2015 and 2016, mirroring nationwide trends. At this rate, reducing traffic fatalities by 20% in 2017 will simply bring Los Angeles back to 2015 levels, no lower.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>The need for a clear Vision Zero plan, followed by swift action, is urgent.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">The City intends to address this crisis - and achieve Vision Zero - by focusing on four outcomes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Creating safe streets for all through evidence-based engineering projects</li>
<li>Developing a culture of safety through engineering, enforcement, and education</li>
<li>Adopting new policy and legislation that strengthens safety and gives LA greater control over its streets</li>
<li>Responding to relevant data in order to create changes where they are needed most</li>
</ul>
<div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<p>As we said at today's Transportation Committee meeting, Los Angeles Walks appreciates the complexity of this multiagency effort and applauds LADOT for moving from analysis to action. We have concerns, though, related to funding levels, speed management, and the safety of older adults. </p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/163/attachments/original/1486418274/VZ_Press_Event_Cesar_Chavez.png?1486418274" alt="VZ_Press_Event_Cesar_Chavez.png" /><em> 2015 Vision Zero press conference at Cesar E. Chavez Ave. in Boyle Heights, an example of Vision Zero engineering changes.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">Los Angeles Walks is encouraged to see the prioritization of evidence-based engineering projects within the City’s Action Plan outcomes. <strong>We are concerned, though, that the benchmarks listed within the Plan focus heavily only on <em>completing design plans</em>.</strong> The action items listed do not convey the extent to which evidence-based engineering projects will actually be implemented and built across the city, with the exception of concrete pedestrian islands and high visibility crosswalks. </p>
<p dir="ltr">FUNDING</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>The Action Plan’s ambiguous engineering commitments may be due to the woefully inadequate funding currently dedicated to the Vision Zero initiative: only $3 million in 2017.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">In order to achieve a 20% reduction of severe and fatal injuries for people walking and bicycling, the City will focus its initial efforts on eliminating deaths on a set of priority corridors in the city. The Action Plan lists 40 priority corridors that cover 90 miles throughout Los Angeles.</p>
<p dir="ltr">At today's Transportation Committee meeting, LADOT General Manager told City Councilmember Mike Bonin that realistically it will take $77 million more this year to achieve that 20% reduction along those 40 corridors. As the Action Plan states, “As the city with the most traffic deaths per capita, funding for solutions must match the severity of the problem.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">LA’s current Vision Zero funding levels pale in comparison to other cities. For example, New York City’s Fiscal Year 17 budget allocated $115 million to Vision Zero street capital construction projects. San Francisco - one tenth the size of Los Angeles - allocated $9.6 million in Fiscal Year 16.</p>
<p dir="ltr">SPEEDING</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>More broadly, the Action Plan does not adequately address speeding, widely known to be the fundamental factor in crash severity.</strong> Though the Plan clearly states that “we can stop deaths by focusing on controlling vehicle speeds,” the Plan does not present a clear strategy for reducing speeds, either by wresting control of local speed limits from the State (as other U.S. cities have accomplished) or by redesigning roadways to reduce speeds (see "Funding" above). </p>
<p dir="ltr">The Action Plan lists nine High-Injury Network intersection projects currently in progress, but those projects seem to do little to address speeding along the wide mini-freeways that criss-cross Los Angeles neighborhoods. The City is well aware that an effective Vision Zero initiative must prioritize speed management above all else. We hope to see the implementation of engineering projects and advocacy towards state legislation that reflect this understanding well before 2020.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/163/attachments/original/1486419479/IMG_1034.JPG?1486419479" alt="Chinatown senior" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">SENIORS</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Action Plan is strong when it comes to protecting the safety of school-aged children through Safe Routes to School programs and projects. <strong>The Plan does not present an equally bold or well-funded plan to address the needs of older adults,</strong> <strong>though, </strong>and doesn't mention how Vision Zero will support Purposeful Aging Los Angeles.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In Los Angeles, the pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 people is highest among those age 75 and older, followed by those age 65 and older. Seniors are far overrepresented in fatal crash data. In 2015, when people age 65 and older made up 15% of the population in LA, they made up over 29% of the people killed while walking. Seniors are the most rapidly growing population in Los Angeles. As the number of older adults expands, the City must act quickly to address the specific needs of this vulnerable group.</p>
<p dir="ltr">LEADERSHIP</p>
<p dir="ltr">Finally, any effort to reduce swift vehicle movement or redesign congested streets in Los Angeles, even if to save lives, will result in push-back from those resistant to change. <strong>With the release of the Vision Zero Action Plan, and the clear urgency of traffic crashes, which claim more lives every year than gang violence, Los Angeles Walks calls on City Council members to champion this cause within their districts.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Councilmember Mike Bonin (CD11) displayed great leadership at today's Transportation Committee meeting. After presentations and discussion among fellow Council Members Martinez and Ryu, Bonin made the following recommendations to the City Council: </p>
<div><strong>1. Recommends the Council adopt the Plan</strong></div>
<div><strong>2. Recommends the Council robustly fund the Plan in the budget this year</strong></div>
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<strong>3. DOT is asked to:</strong><br>- Regularly report on implementation of Action Plan, including data on assessments and impact, to Transportation Committee<br>- Regularly report on anticipated funding needs of continued implementation</div>
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<strong>4. DOT and/or LAPD to report back in 60 days on:</strong><br>- DOT to report more info on a plan/progress on increasing community engagement, particularly within underserved areas <br>- LAPD and LADOT to report jointly on a City of LA version of Focus on the Five traffic citation report (cited <strong><a href="http://sanfranciscopolice.org/traffic-stats" target="_blank">example from San Francisco</a></strong>)<br>- LAPD to report in 60 days on a timeline of development of the software and reporting system to enhance data transparency<br>- LAPD to report in 60 days on the status of the "no profiling" pledge (cited <strong><a href="https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/71731" target="_blank">Portland example</a></strong>)</div>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr">The hallmarks of Vision Zero are the prioritization of human life above all else and the collaborative effort across agencies, departments, and legislative bodies in order to preserve life.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Los Angeles Walks looks forward to working with the Mayor's Office and City Council members to identify funding opportunities, to educate residents on effective evidence-based countermeasures that save lives, and to help develop a culture of safety on Los Angeles streets. As the lead organization of the <strong></strong><a href="http://www.visionzeroalliance.org/" target="_blank"><strong>LA Vision Zero Alliance</strong></a>, Los Angeles Walks is committed to collaborating with City agencies, elected officials, community organizations, and residents to eliminate traffic deaths in our city, and bring more life to streets and sidewalks across Los Angeles.</p>
<p dir="ltr">_____</p>
<p dir="ltr">Los Angeles Walks, a project of <strong><a href="http://communitypartners.org/" target="_blank">Community Partners</a></strong>, is a pedestrian advocacy organization that works to make walking safe, accessible, fun, and equitable across the City of Los Angeles. Since November 2015, Los Angeles Walks has serves as leader of the <strong><a href="http://www.visionzeroalliance.org/" target="_blank">Los Angeles Vision Zero Alliance</a></strong>, a coalition of 20 community organizations dedicated to supporting and influencing the City of Los Angeles Vision Zero initiative.</p>Wed, 08 Feb 2017 17:07:00 -0800Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/from_analysis_to_action_the_la_vision_zero_action_plan
Find us in HiFi! Vision Zero Community Partners Announced<p>Los Angeles Walks is proud to report that we will join <strong><a href="http://www.gabbagallery.com/" target="_blank">Gabba Gallery</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://pwcsc.org/" target="_blank">Pilipino Workers Center</a></strong>, and <strong><a href="https://publicmattersgroup.com/" target="_blank">Public Matters</a></strong> to bring community-based outreach, education, and public art to Historic Filipinotown this spring and summer.</p>
<p>Our project, centered around Temple Street between Beverly Blvd. and Beaudry Ave., will be one component of the City's Vision Zero program, which aims to eliminate serious and fatal traffic collisions in Los Angeles by 2025 through a mix of engineering, education, enforcement, and engagement. </p>
<p>Seven other teams will develop and coordinate similar community-based projects throughout the City of Los Angeles. <strong>We all hope to raise awareness of the impacts of traffic violence on individuals and entire communities, and to highlight the need for safe street design and smart driving behavior. </strong></p>
<p>The official LADOT press release is below. </p>
<p>_________________________________________________________<img align="none" class="CToWUd" src="https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/MecIWyc-e3A2qRDUAPfB0-TGJcnUG9yK4q8R2_cEon3FUz1OgDciF2wVF72qk59gtUJOQ2_GH4KwYR-FKEB1f0LVk0I1r9xPYn5wY4j0Nj9aGMNPZ6bVHHoKnRAmS9y4AoPyGRTjFSjSmlkiRWrIH84LCvs9fdKIuJF3FNA=s0-d-e1-ft#https://gallery.mailchimp.com/a3ce2558303aee7a5d709b084/images/5b80dd35-f55a-4f4c-8b29-677573e9c117.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="90"></p>
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<br>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br>Media Inquiries Only <br>Communications Office <br><a target="_blank">(213) 972-8406</a><br><br><strong>Los Angeles Department of Transportation<br>Announces Community Partnerships to Help Eliminate Traffic Deaths by 2025</strong>
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<p><strong>LOS ANGELES, CA (January 19, 2017)<br>–</strong></p>
<div>Mayor Eric Garcetti, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) and the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) announce $500,000 in funding to conduct traffic safety education and outreach to support the City’s Vision Zero Initiative. A portion of this funding, $310,000 will go directly to eight local community-based teams representing 21 individual organizations to lead these education efforts within a local, community context. The outreach is part of a comprehensive Vision Zero Action Plan that will help eliminate traffic deaths by 2025 in the City of Los Angeles. <br><br><strong>“We are making L.A.’s streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. And we can make improvements faster — and more effective — when the City works closely with local organizations that understand our neighborhoods’ specific needs,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “Safety education and outreach is the first step in making all Angelenos part of the movement to end traffic deaths in our city.”</strong><br><br>The highest concentrations of fatal and severe collisions on the City’s High-Injury Network have been identified as priority corridors. Focusing Vision Zero efforts on the priority corridors will help address the locations with the highest number of people being killed and severely injured in a collision. Over the next year, ten of these priority corridors will be part of a coordinated education and outreach plan in an effort to build support for engineering and enforcement solutions along these corridors and ensure that people move through our city safely. <br><br><strong>"This work empowers local community-based organizations and artists to be emissaries for Vision Zero. We expect to learn from their work and follow their lead in understanding how to reach our urgent goal to reduce deaths from traffic violence," says LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds.</strong><br><br>These eight teams are made up of community-based organizations and local artists who will work closely with the City to plan, implement, and evaluate an on-the-ground engagement plan. The plans may include at least one of the following interventions: developing community-specific traffic safety education materials using local and cultural vocabulary; leading interactive activities that involve participation by residents in the area; creative interventions along the identified corridor(s), that may include (but are not limited to) graphics, visuals, or temporal projects that raise awareness on the issue of traffic safety; iterative processes that develop a project using on-going, continual public engagement to inform and refine a finished product and/or program. Each team will assemble “street teams” meant to engage directly with the community on Vision Zero. Our partners will also conduct pre and post intervention evaluations that will help the city evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy. <br><br>The format of the partnership allows the people who have worked within their communities to develop an outreach program tailored to each individual neighborhood. Organizations were selected by demonstrating their abilities and experiences in working with the communities that are most affected by traffic violence. Planning will happen from January to March 2017, community engagement will take place in Summer 2017 and evaluation will conclude September 2017. <br><br><strong>“Tapping into our local creative human capital in Los Angeles to tell the story of Vision Zero ensures a meaningful impact </strong><strong>for</strong><strong> our communities,” said DCA General Manager Danielle Brazell.</strong><br><br>Community Arts Resources (CARS) will serve in a technical advisory capacity for these partnerships as the City works toward expanding its resources within the community. As a leader in local public engagement, CARS will provide invaluable insight in planning and implementing engagement strategies. Other grant funding will go to support the individual teams’ direct costs, such as printing, documentation, and evaluation. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. <br><br>The Department of Transportation continues to work together and partner with other agencies to ensure that people move safely through the city and region. Additional information regarding the City’s Vision Zero effort can be found at <a href="http://lacity.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a3ce2558303aee7a5d709b084&amp;id=3f5b7eeb77&amp;e=d139c0fd05" target="_blank">visionzero.lacity.org</a>.</div>Mon, 23 Jan 2017 14:49:00 -0800Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/vision_zero_community_partners_announced
January 2017 News<p><em>Released January 12, 2017. Want to receive our monthly updates? <strong><a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/joinup" target="_blank">Sign up here.</a></strong> <br></em></p>
<p><strong>Fired up to act locally in 2017?!?</strong></p>
<p>Earlier this week, President Obama urged Americans to lace up our shoes and take action. Learn how you can effect change through your Neighborhood Council in <strong><a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/show_up_dive_in_persevere" target="_blank">our recent blog post</a></strong>. Or <em>March 4th! </em>with us, join our team, or lead a walk! More below...<br><br><a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/march_fourth_2017" target="_blank"><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/161/attachments/original/1484265438/lawalks_march4th_2017_640.png?1484265438" alt="March Fourth!" /></a> </p>
<p style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 5px; color: #779f3e;"><em>March 4th!</em> With Us</p>
<p>Despite what's looming on the national horizon, we are confident that bright days are ahead for Los Angeles. Join other LA Walks supporters to <em>March 4th!</em> into 2017, celebrating a transit-rich future filled with safe, ADA-compliant streets, sidewalks, and crosswalks. Food, drinks, music, fun and games in DTLA on Saturday night, March 4th! <strong><a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/march_fourth_2017" target="_blank">Party Info &gt;<br></a></strong></p>
<p style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 5px; color: #f06045;"><br><br><br>We're Hiring </p>
<p>Did you know that Los Angeles Walks leads a coalition of over 20 organizations that supports and influences the City's Vision Zero initiative? No?! Well, we're trying to fix that. Apply to improve our communications or please share our part-time position description with a friend. <a title="Jobs" href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/jobs" target="_blank"><strong>Communications Associate job description &gt;</strong></a></p>
<p style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 5px; color: #57a1d2;"><br><br><br>You're a Natural Leader </p>
<p>If there's a pocket of Los Angeles that you just love to pieces, or that simply intrigues you, consider becoming an LA Walks volunteer Walk Ambassador. Set a route, schedule a date, and share your slice of LA with the world on a weekend walk. Submit your idea today! Submissions due Feb 1. <strong><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeyCodP4Ds1jYl4sW3hNzjrY7AEQz0wBqnCaXJW2bPLNbSppg/viewform" target="_blank">Submit your idea &gt;</a></strong></p>
<p style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 5px; color: #e59d24;"><br><br><br>Ask an Officer </p>
<p>Together with the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and the LA Vision Zero Alliance, Los Angeles Walks invites you to Ask an Officer, an opportunity to speak directly with members of law enforcement (LAPD, CHP, and Sheriff's Dept.) as well as bicycle collision attorney Jim Pocrass. Monday, January 30 6:30pm-8:30pm at LACBC. Food and drinks included, free. <a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/ask_an_officer_2017" target="_blank"><strong>RSVP now &gt;</strong></a></p>Thu, 12 Jan 2017 15:59:00 -0800Emilia Crottyhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/january_2017_news
"Show Up. Dive In. Persevere." <p>2-minute read</p>
<p><em>In his farewell address last night, President Obama called on American citizens to take concrete steps to create positive change - to be action-oriented, engaged, and to get offline and talk to one another. <strong>Luke Klipp</strong>, president of the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council and recent winner of Streetsblog LA's <strong><a href="http://la.streetsblog.org/2017/01/10/congratulations-the-2016-streetsie-winners-are/" target="_blank">2016 Deborah Murphy Award for Excellence in Advocacy</a></strong> (named after our very own founder), explains how you can get to work right in your own neighborhood. </em></p>
<p><strong><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/160/attachments/original/1484162227/LukeKlipp.jpg?1484162227" alt="LukeKlipp.jpg" /></strong></p>
<p><strong>Why I NC, and You Can Too</strong></p>
<p>“Neighborhood Councils are the place where good ideas go to die.” That was me a few years ago, reflecting on frustrations serving on a neighborhood council that, at the time, was more interested in preserving parking spaces than in creating human spaces.</p>
<p>While neighborhood councils were created 15 years ago to better connect residents with their city government, oftentimes it can feel like they just stand in the way of progress. That said, <strong>I have since come to recognize the opportunities that these groups represent, and the ways in which people who care about walkability, bikeability, and street safety in their communities can create change on a micro-scale</strong>, albeit an important one, through their neighborhood councils.</p>
<p>Many neighborhood councils – though certainly not all – are ambivalent about or openly oppose the things that folks at Los Angeles Walks support: things like more and better-marked crosswalks, more stop signs, and slower street speeds. However, this is neither always the case, nor is it a done deal. As the strongest and clearest link to the constituents they serve, neighborhood councils are more responsive to citizen involvement than any other City function or body.</p>
<p>This brings me to why I’m writing this post and why you should care. In just my few years as an elected member of the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council, I’ve seen a sea change in our council’s approach to street safety measures and support for efforts to improve walkability and bikeability, as people who care about these things have shown up, spoken up, and gotten involved.</p>
<p><strong>At a time when much of our world – at least nationally – has been turned upside down, local involvement is one of the best-available tools that we have to effect change.</strong></p>
<p>I guarantee you that, while your neighborhood council may or may not be responsive to your concerns in the moment, if you stay involved, if you keep showing up, if you join a committee and/or run for a seat – you will effect change through your neighborhood council. You will get the marked crosswalk that your busy street needs. You will get your city councilmember to support new street tree plantings. You will get improved DASH service, or better public spaces, or new bike lanes.</p>
<p><strong>But it takes time, it takes persistence, and it takes showing up.</strong> As someone who has sat through innumerable meetings hearing the same complaints about how there’s too much traffic and not enough parking; I can assure you that that voice of reason, the voice you can bring to the neighborhood council that says we must do better by our kids and our seniors and our businesses by improving our sidewalks and street trees and crosswalks – that is the voice that is so often missing and so often needed. </p>
<p>It’s a new year, and we need you more than ever. <strong>There’s never been a better time to get involved in your community, and your neighborhood council is a great place to start. </strong></p>
<p>You can find out which council represents you by visiting <strong><a href="http://empowerla.org">http://empowerla.org</a></strong>. You can also email me with any questions at <strong><a href="mailto:lukeklipp@losfeliznc.org">lukeklipp@losfeliznc.org</a></strong>. Cheers, and happy new year!</p>
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<p><em>Luke H. Klipp is president of the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council. You can follow him on Twitter at <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/lukehklipp" target="_blank">@lukehklipp</a></strong>. </em></p>
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<p> </p>Wed, 11 Jan 2017 11:28:00 -0800Luke Klipphttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/show_up_dive_in_persevere
Concerns About "Difficult" Projects and Safe Sidewalks LA<p>As <a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/la_finally_has_a_plan_to_fix_its_sidewalks"><strong>we reported last week</strong></a>, Investing in Place, Los Angeles Walks, AARP, and Tree People recently convened stakeholders and representatives from the Mayor’s Office and Bureau of Engineering to discuss <a href="http://sidewalks.lacity.org/"><strong>Safe Sidewalks LA</strong></a>, the City’s new pedestrian infrastructure repair program.</p>
<p>While we learned a good amount about the planned implementation and structure of the new program, we at Los Angeles Walks remain concerned about the lack of detail in a few key areas. Over the coming weeks we will elaborate on those particular concerns. <strong>We will begin by considering the City’s discretion in making repairs.</strong></p>
<p>Despite some positive signs, most notably the recent groundbreaking of the MyFigueroa complete streets project, mobility advocates have been frustrated with the seeming inability of the City of Los Angeles to come through on safety-enhancing projects that present any sort of implementation challenge. Most often, unfortunately, a project to increase the safety of all road users is deemed “controversial” due to opposition from either a particular group or a particular City Councilmember. Proof of widespread opposition isn’t required; just a whisper has been enough to shelf projects that would provide a vital connection for Angelenos and/or would surely save lives.</p>
<p><strong>We are therefore very concerned about the lack of detail regarding how the decision to either postpone or exempt a submitted Access Request (<a href="http://www.losangeleswalks.org/la_finally_has_a_plan_to_fix_its_sidewalks" target="_blank">see earlier post</a>) will be determined, and who will have that discretion.</strong></p>
<p>The legal settlement that was the impetus for Safe Sidewalks LA includes a remarkable number of clauses that give the City discretion to postpone or exempt a safety issue. Five paragraphs stand out (highlights ours):</p>
<p>Section 12.7</p>
<ul>
<li>(i) The City shall <strong>prioritize </strong>remediation, installation or other construction for locations that <strong>do not have site constraints or technical infeasibility issues</strong>, as defined in the standards set forth in Section 12.9 below;</li>
<li>(ii) With respect to <strong>unusually expensive</strong> installation or remediation concerning any Pedestrian Facility, the City shall have the discretion to address such items in connection with<strong> larger, street-related capital projects</strong> at such locations;</li>
<li>(iii) Work on <strong>difficult sites</strong> <strong>may be postponed</strong> if there is an alternative accessible route within no more than 200 feet of the condition at issue (to the maximum extent feasible). <strong>Such alternative routes will be identified to persons with Mobility Disabilities in accordance with applicable ADA Title II regulations;</strong>
</li>
<li>(iv) Locations at which site constraints make strict compliance with applicable design standards impracticable may be made compliant with the standards set forth in Section 12.9 below to the maximum extent feasible;</li>
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<p>Section 12.10</p>
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<li>(iv) there exists a <strong>technical infeasibility</strong> to installing or performing a Program Access Improvement at the particular location because of topography or <strong>some other factor</strong>, including if remediation would be “technically infeasible” as defined by Standard 106.5 of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design.</li>
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<p>Our concerns begin with the vagueness of what constitutes an “unusually expensive” or “difficult” site. These terms are not defined, which is understandable, as the City likely did not want to be legally bound to repair facilities immediately if the repair would bust the budget.</p>
<p><strong>However, with the lack of a clear set of guidelines or other planning document that the public can view and comment on, we do not know how Access Requests will be sorted as either feasible or infeasible.</strong></p>
<p>Since immediately infeasible work may be postponed, our next concern is for how long may work be postponed? Indefinitely? Or is there a set period? If the City will be able to delay an Access Request or other repair to include in a future, larger street-related capital project, is there a time limit as to when that larger capital project may begin? How can the public, and especially those with mobility disabilities, be ensured that the future capital project would include the repair, that it would be remembered by City staff, and that it wouldn’t be excluded for cost or other reasons?</p>
<p>Where will the money for making signs for alternative accessible routes around “difficult” sites come from? If someone submits an Access Request, and the site is deemed “difficult” and an alternative accessible route is identified, will the original requester be notified of that fact? Or will they simply be told that the repair is not feasible?</p>
<p>Lastly, if a project can be exempted entirely due to “topography or some other factor,” will the requester or public be notified as to what that “some other factor” is? Will there be a chance for either the requester or the public at large to appeal an exemption?</p>
<p><img src="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/losangeleswalks/pages/155/attachments/original/1481229006/Melrose_Sidewalk.png?1481229006" alt="Melrose_Sidewalk.png" /></p>
<p>As an example of our concerns, the photo above shows the north side (looking west) of Melrose Ave. from Wilcox Ave. past Cole Ave. near the Paramount studios. It is clearly not accessible (see the poles?). If an Access Request is made for this sidewalk, what will happen? Either the utility poles will have to be moved, an easement will have to be taken from the adjoining properties, or space will have to be taken from the travel/parking lane (or some combination of those options).</p>
<p>Any of those options will be expensive, and possibly even “difficult.” Will the City just say the project is infeasible and exempt it? Will the City say it’s too “difficult” and postpone work until some future work on Melrose Avenue? And when would that be? Would they postpone work and sign an alternative accessible route on the south side of Melrose?</p>
<p><strong>Safe Sidewalks LA was created to fix these problems, but how can we be assured that it will?</strong> </p>
<p>We worry about a program where the most troublesome and dangerous chokepoints are exempted or effectively postponed forever, leaving intact the most pernicious gaps in our accessible network. We worry about a program that fixes all the tree root rollercoasters and greater than half-inch gaps, but fails to fix the blocks-long stretches of three-foot sidewalk. We worry about a program that lets our leaders and City staff off the hook for making “difficult” choices that prioritize safety and accessibility.</p>Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:08:43 -0800Mehmet Berkerhttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/concerns_about_difficult_projects_and_safe_sidewalks_la
Mayor Garcetti's Aging Initiative<p>Cities embrace the future — and determine their destiny — by constantly reinventing themselves.</p>
<p>In Los Angeles, we are in the midst of a historic transition away from our reputation as the car capital of the world. Today, a growing mass transit network is redefining how people think about commuting to work, getting to afternoons at the beach, and enjoying nights out with friends.</p>Tue, 06 Dec 2016 16:21:00 -0800Anna Guerrerohttp://www.losangeleswalks.org/cities_embrace_the_future_and_determine_their_destiny_by_constantly_reinventing_themselves